3 killed in 24hrs in Boston, Dr. Mike's here...

[Jalili]

Greetings All,
While many enjoyed flashing lights in New Orleans over the weekend, death was the order of the day in Boston on July 4th. It's the summer and the increase in acts of violence is underway as anticipated. And God-willing, Dr. Mike will be there on the ground where our people are. As the streets mandate regarding tenacity, either go hard or go home. Or said differently in the words of President Emerita Johnetta Cole, "Giving is not determined by how much one has, but by who one is." Well, the attacks took place downtown Boston, Roxbury (home of New Edition) and Hyde Park. Here's the video:

YouTube - Murders in Boston, July 2008

If you're in Atlanta, I'll be finishing up the third of a three-part series of public health lectures at Fort Valley State University later this evening. Today's lecture is entitled, "The Tuskegee Experiment vs. The Tuskegee Study: Understanding the Difference". On August 21st I'll be facilitating a panel on the Black Male Crisis at the Auburn Avenue Research Library, so mark your calendar. Since so many requested a copy of the research documentary's focus group description, I am attaching the document to this email. I welcome your comments and appreciate the check-ins. Be sure to check out all videos on YouTube if you missed any. Take care.

Peace and Great Health,
Mike
Dr. Mike F. Weaver | Health Promotion, Education and Behavior
therootscriedout.com
YouTube searchword "therootscriedout"

HE AIN’T HAPPY-
URBAN STREETS ON THE SO-CALLED AMERICAN DREAM
www.heainthappy.com
Description of Focus Groups & Interviewees

Atlanta, Georgia-
1. Bankhead Courts public housing projects, 4/10/07 @10:30p.m.
Number of Participants: 6
Age Range: Teens
Length of Dialogue: 17 minutes
Profanity Level: Low

2. Bowen Homes public housing projects, 4/11/07 @10:45p.m.
Number of Participants: 6
Age Range: Mid- to late-20s
Length of Dialogue: 30 minutes
Profanity Level: Very High

3. Jonesboro South public housing projects, 4/22/07 @9:55p.m.
Number of Participants: 5
Age Range: Teens
Length of Dialogue: 23 minutes
Profanity Level: Low

Barnesville, Georgia-
4. Hillside public housing projects, 5/26/07 @10:25p.m.
Number of Participants: 6
Age Range: Teens
Length of Dialogue: 35 minutes
Profanity Level: Low

Columbia, South Carolina-
5. The Colony Apartments/Outside a nightclub, 4/13/07 @12:15a.m.
Number of Participants: 5
Age Range: Early 20s
Length of Dialogue: 7 minutes
Profanity Level: Low

New Orleans, Louisiana-
6. Calliope public housing projects, 4/17/07 @10:15p.m. (EST)
Number of Participants: 4
Age Range: Mid 20s
Length of Dialogue: 1 hour (45 min. with discussion guide/15 min. Katrina talk)
Profanity Level: Very High

Augusta, Georgia-
7. Underwood public housing projects, 4/20/07 @10:05p.m.
Number of Participants: 5
Age Range: Late 20s
Length of Dialogue: 45 minutes
Profanity Level: Very High

Birmingham, Alabama-
8. Loveman Village public housing projects, 4/25/07 @ 9:35p.m. (EST)
Number of Participants: 5
Age Range: Mid 20s
Length of Dialogue: 27 minutes
Profanity Level: High

Chattanooga, Tennessee-
9. Eastlake public housing projects, 4/28/07 @ 9:45p.m.
Number of Participants: 5
Age Range: Mid- to late-20s
Length of Dialogue: 31 minutes
Profanity Level: High

Jackson, Mississippi-
10. Washington Heights community, 5/01/07 @ 9:35p.m. (EST)
Number of Participants: 5
Age Range: Mid- to late-20s
Length of Dialogue: 40 minutes
Profanity Level: High

Pensacola, Florida-
11. Pensacola Village public housing projects, 5/02/07 @ 9:05p.m. (EST)
Number of Participants: 5
Age Range: Mid- to late-20s
Length of Dialogue: 25 minutes
Profanity Level: Medium

Charlotte, North Carolina-
12. Greenhaven Townhomes/Oaklawn public housing projects, 5/04/07 @ 10:00p.m.
Number of Participants: 6
Age Range: Teens to early 20s
Length of Dialogue: 35 minutes
Profanity Level: Low

Newark, New Jersey-
13. Irvington Community/Ivy Hill, 8/8/07 @8:45p.m.
Number of Participants: 2
Age Range: Teens
Length of Dialogue: 25 minutes
Profanity Level: Low

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-
14. Kingsessing Community, 8/9/07 @8:10a.m.
Number of Participants: 2
Age Range: Teens
Length of Dialogue: 35 minutes
Profanity Level: Low

Baltimore, Maryland-
15. Highland Community, 8/9/07 @11:10a.m.
Number of Participants: 2
Age Range: late 20s
Length of Dialogue: 55 minutes
Profanity Level: Very High

Washington, DC-
16. Edgewood public housing, 8/9/07 @1:30p.m.
Number of Participants: 1
Age Range: early 20s
Length of Dialogue: 40 minutes
Profanity Level: Medium

Richmond, Virginia-
17. Gilpen Court public housing projects, 8/9/07 @8:50p.m.
Number of Participants: 5
Age Range: Teens to mid-20s
Length of Dialogue: 50 minutes
Profanity Level: High

Chicago, Illinois-
18. Yates-Oglesby Community “The Tre”, 6/25/08 @12:45p.m. (EST)
Number of Participants: 4
Age Range: Teens
Length of Dialogue: 30 minutes
Profanity Level: Medium

Gary, Indiana-
19. “ColorDoors” 21st Street community, 6/25/08 @2:40p.m. (EST)
Number of Participants: 4
Age Range: Teens
Length of Dialogue: 25 minutes
Profanity Level: Low

Boston, Massachusetts-
20. Roxbury community, 7/08/08 @1:20a.m.
Number of Participants: 4
Age Range: Teens to early 20s
Length of Dialogue: 20 minutes
Profanity Level: Medium

Providence, Rhode Island-
21. West End community, 7/08/08 @6:15a.m.
Number of Participants: 3
Age Range: mid- to late-20s
Length of Dialogue: 30 minutes
Profanity Level: Low

Total Focus Group Participants: 83 (Each participant paid $5 or $10.)


*Bonus-
LeVar Clemons-1st Success Story (representing Drugs)- 1 ½ hours interview with a convicted
Florida drug related felon
6/2/07 @ 9:15p.m., videotaped face-to-face interview at a public housing project in
South Carolina. Interviewee was recently released from prison on May 16, 2007. He went from a track scholarship at Florida A&M University to selling methamphetamine and ecstasy in Tallahassee. He served nearly five years and is looking forward to a new lease on life.
Age: Late 20s
Length of Dialogue: 83 minutes Profanity Level: None

DeWaine Flowers-2nd Success Story (representing Violence)- 1 hour interview with a young
adult who survived both a gunshot wound and a stabbing while attending a high school graduation party in Henry County, Georgia, just south of Atlanta.
6/5/07 @ 10:00p.m. & 6/11/07 @ 9:00p.m., videotaped face-to-face interview near the St. Ives Luxury Apartments where two teen girls were killed and several others were shot and stabbed with knives. The interviewee is a recent high school graduate and was an innocent bystander similar to the slain girls. The perpetrators are still at large and the interviewee shares his thoughts on the violence that took place in detail, as well as his plans for the future.
Age: Late Teens
Length of Dialogue: 58 minutes Profanity Level: None

Alfred “AJ” Jones-3rd Success Story (representing Dreams)- 2-hour interview with a twice convicted Georgia drug-related felon
5/6/07 @ 1:30a.m. & 6/11/07 @ 10:30p.m., videotaped face-to-face interview in Jonesboro South public housing project near downtown Atlanta. Interviewee eventually graduated from Morris Brown College and currently works for the State of Georgia Department of Family and Children Services providing counseling to single mothers and fathers on individual responsibility and job readiness/preparedness.
Age: Mid 30s
Length of Dialogue: 127 minutes Profanity Level: None

Total Individual Interviews: 3


Expert Interviews:
Ms. Brenda Muhammad- Atlanta School Boardmember, lost son to violence nearly twenty years ago
Dr. Eddie Glaude- Princeton University Professor, discussion on psycho-social implications of youth and violence
Ms. Monica Hudson- Bowen Homes Public Housing resident, lost son November ’07 to gang violence in community, he was third of five murdered in three weeks
Dr. Mwalimu Baruti- Akoben Institute Co-Founder, discussion on alternative education and cultural programs
Attorney Mawuli Davis- Criminal Defense Attorney, discussion on legal/legislative implications
Pastor Zachary Bruce- Freedom Church of Seattle Pastor, discussion on mentoring
Dr. Peter Scharf- Texas State University Professor, discussion on subculture of drugs, violence and penal system
Mr. Lee Haney- 8 times Mr. Olympia, discussion on physical fitness & spiritual awareness